Dutch fur traders from New Netherland colony set up trade in the site as early as 1623, after Adriaen Block explored it in 1614. The Dutch named their post the 'Hope House' (Huys de Hoop). Prior to the Dutch arrival, the Indians who inhabited the area had called it Suckiaug. By 1633 Jacob van Curler had added a block house and palisade to the post while New Amsterdam sent a small garrison and a pair of cannons. The fort was abandoned by 1654, but its neighborhood in Hartford is still known as Dutch Point.

The first English settlers arrived in 1636. Thomas Hooker led 100 settlers with 130 head of cattle in a trek from Newtown (now Cambridge) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and started their settlement just north of the Dutch fort. The settlement was originally called Newtown, but was changed to Hartford in 1637 to honor the English town of Hertford.

On December 15, 1814, the Hartford Convention was called to order in Hartford. Delegations from the five New England states, (Maine was still part of Massachusetts at that time) were sent to Hartford to discuss New England's possible secession from the United States.

During the early 1800s, the Hartford area was a center of abolitionist activity. The most famous abolitionist family was the Beechers. Reverend Lyman Beecher was an important Congregational minister known for his anti-slavery sermons. His daughter, Harriet Beecher Stowe, wrote the famous Uncle Tom's Cabin, while her brother, Henry Ward Beecher, was a noted clergyman who vehemently opposed slavery and supported the temperance movement and women's suffrage. Beecher Stowe's sister, Isabella Beecher Hooker, was a leading member of the women's rights movement.

In 1860, Hartford was the site of the first "Wide Awakes," abolitionist supporters of Abraham Lincoln. These supporters organized torch-light parades that were both political and social events, often including fireworks and music, in celebration of Lincoln's visit to the city. This type of event caught on and eventually became a staple of mid to late-1800s campaigning.

In July 6, 1944, Hartford was the scene of one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States. The fire, which occurred at a performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus circus, became known as the Hartford Circus Fire.

After World War II, many residents of Puerto Rico moved to Hartford and even today Puerto Rican flags can be found on cars and buildings all over the city. Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Hartford in 1969, when he was 12 years old.

In 1997, the city lost it's professional sports franchise, the Hartford Whalers, to Raleigh, North Carolina despite an increase in season ticket sales and an offer of a new arena from the state.

Lately, Hartford has been having problems as the population shrunk 11 percent during the 1990s. Only Flint, Michigan; Gary, Indiana; Saint Louis and Baltimore experienced larger population losses during the decade. However, the population has increased since the 2000 Census.

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Looks good. A few schools should be added to the colleges and universities section, The University of Hartford and Trinity College. I personally would also throw in UConn, the Storrs campus and Hartford Campus, and oh yeah, UConn Law School, Hartford Seminary, Capitol Community College, and Rensalear at Hartford.

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Looks good. A few schools should be added to the colleges and universities section, The University of Hartford and Trinity College. I personally would also throw in UConn, the Storrs campus and Hartford Campus, and oh yeah, UConn Law School, Hartford Seminary, Capitol Community College, and Rensalear at Hartford.

The arts section was the last part I was working on and I just kind of got tired of doing it, I wanted to post it already, it's been sitting in the Collaboration section for months. It definately needs to be fleshed out more.

isn't it misleading to have the Whalers up there?

Probably, but I feared revolution if I didn't include it.

I can swap out SOCOMs photo for beerbeer's, but I liked SOCOMs because of all the cranes.

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I think a few of the towns on the fringes may be stretching it. Chaplin for example.

Some those towns like Durham, the Haddams, Colchester, Lebanon, Winchester ... seem a little far to be that much impacted by Hartford. But I don't know them well enough, anyone?

Colechester has a large number of commuters to Hartford. I work with two in my group of 16 at work. I also know that at least 2 are from Canton and 1 from middletown 1 in mansfield, and about 5 in Mass. the rest are closer by like me in Manchester or New Britain.